Many heavy metals and organic compounds persistently contaminate public waters due to manufacturing processes, agricultural waste, and/or from corroding pipes and infrastructure. Examples such as lead, chromium, and copper leakage can cause long term physiological damage, and eventual deterioration of the respiratory organs and skeletal system. See www.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthaf/chromium.html, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Chronic exposure, in most cases due to lack of water sanitation and monitoring, can cause long term health problems such as cancer and birth-related defects. See www.epa.gov/airtoxics/hlthef/hapglossaryrev.htm, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Similarly, there are a variety of human-made and artificially derived organic wastes that pervade the public's water system that both harm the public and damage the environment. By-products and runoff from industrial sites such as trichloroethylene (TCE) and other compounds have been shown to affect the central nervous system, promote heart failure, and even cause cancer. See Kjellstrand, P., el al., “Irreversible effects of trichloroethylene exposure on the central nervous system.” Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health (1980): 40-47, Watson, Rebecca E., et al. “Trichloroethylene-contaminated drinking water and congenital heart defects: a critical analysis of the literature.” Reproductive Toxicology 21.2 (2006): 117-147, and Wartenberg, Daniel, Daniel Reyner, and Cheryl Siegel Scott. “Trichloroethylene and cancer: epidemiologic evidence.” Environmental health perspectives108.Suppl 2 (2000): 161, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Similarly, there are human-made reservoirs of waste caused by mining and drilling. For example, the oil sands, mainly centered in regions of Canada around the Athabasca watershed, have made a huge environmental impact due to the massive drilling & mining in the area. Most of the industrial work in the area has released toxic pollutants such as arsenic, chromium, lead, mixtures of reactive hydrocarbons, and irremediable tar. See Kelly, Erin N., et al., “Oil sands development contributes elements toxic at low concentrations to the Athabasca River and its tributaries.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107.37 (2010): 16178-16183, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.